pJi  V  Jy 


Germm 


RULES 


AND 


R EGULAT  IONS 


OF 


OF 


HERMAN  PROTESTANTS, 

Adopted  on  the  4th  day  of  March,  1818, 

Revised  11th  May,  1846,  and  10th  May,  1869, 

WITH  THE 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 


(Charleston,  £.  O'. 

u  7  u 

COURIER”  STEAM  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRESS, 
No.  Ill  EAST  15  AY. 

18  0  9. 


I 


TITTLES 

AND 

REGULATIONS 


OF  THE 

LUTHERAN  CHURCH 

OF 

GERMAN  PROTESTANTS, 


Adopted  on  the  4th  day  of  March.,  181.4  , 


Revised  lltli  May,  184(5,  and  10th  May,  18G9. 

WITH  THE 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 


(Charleston,  O'. 

COUEIEE  .JOB  PEESS,  111  EAST  BAY. 


18G9. 


. 


. 


« 

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2^  A  A 

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LL 

Lp 

A.  1ST  ACT, 

FOR  INCORPORATING  DIVERS  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES  THEREIN 

MENTIONED. 

STATE  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 


At  a  General  Assembly,  begun  and  liolden  in  Charleston,  on  Monday,  the 
6th  day  of  January,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-tliree,  and  in  the  seventh  year  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  and  from  thence  continued,  by  divers  adjournments,  to  the 
26th  day  of  March,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-four. 

V> 

v  Whereas,  by  the  Constitution  of  this  State,  passed  the  19tli  day  of  March, 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-eight,  it  was  declared  that  all  de¬ 
nominations  of  Christian  Protestants  should  enjoy  equal  religious  and  civil 
^privileges;  and  that  whenever  fifteen  or  more  male  persons,  not  under  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  professing  the  Christian  Protestant  Religion,  and  agreeing 
to  unite  themselves  in  a  society  for  the  purpose  of  religious  worship,  (on 
complying  with  the  terms  therein  mentioned,)  they  should  be  constituted  a 
Church,  and  to  be  esteemed  and  regarded  in  law  as  of  the  Established  Reli¬ 
gion  of  the  State:  and,  on  a  petition  to  the  Legislature,  should  be  entitled  to 
-  be  incorporated,  and  to  enjoy  equal  privileges. 

And  whereas  the  several  societies  of  Christians,  who  call  themselves  by 
the  name  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  German  Protestants;  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  the  City  of  Charleston;  the  Presbyterian  Church  on  Edisto  Island; 
the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Wilton,  in  St.  Paul’s  Parish;  the  Baptist  Church 
on  the  High  Hills  of  Santee;  and  the  Presbyterian  Church  on  Bullock’s  Creek, 
in  Camden  District,  have  petitioned  the  Legislature  of  this  State,  praying  to 
be  incorporated,  and  asserting  they  have  complied  with  the  terms  required 


4 


by  the  Constitution,  as  preparatory  thereto,  and  the  allegations  in  the  said 
petitions  appearing  to  be  true; 

Be  it  therefore  exacted,  by  the  Honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Re¬ 
presentatives,  now  met  and  sitting  in  General  Assembly,  and  by  the  authority 
of  the  same,  that  the  several  and  respective  Societies  above  mentioned,  and 
the  several  persons  who  now  are,  or  shall  hereafter  be,  members  thereof  re¬ 
spectively,  and  the  successors,  officers  and  members  of  each  of  them,  shall  be, 
and  they  are  hereby  declared  to  be,  severally,  one  body  corporate,  in  deed  and 
in  name,  by  the  name  and  style  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  German  Protest¬ 
ants,  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  City  of  Charleston,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  on  Edisto  Island,  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Wilton,  in  St.  Paul’s 
Parish,  the  Baptist  Church  on  the  High  Hills  of  Santee,  and  the  Presbyterian 
Church  on  Bullock’s  Creek,  in  Camden  District;  and  bv  the  said  several  names 
shall  each  have  perpetual  succession  of  officers  and  members,  and  a  common 
seal,  with  power  to  change,  alter,  break,  and  make  new  the  same,  as  often  as 
they,  the  said  corporations,  shall  severally  judge  expedient. 

And  each  of  the  said  corporations,  and  their  several  successors,  shall  be  able 
and  capable  in  law  to  purchase,  have,  hold,  receive,  enjoy,  possess,  and  retain, 
to  them  severally,  and  their  successors,  in  perpetuity,  or  for  any  term  of  years, 
any  estate  or  estates,  funds,  tenements  or  hereditaments,  of  what  kind  or  na¬ 
ture  soever;  and  to  sell,  alien,  exchange,  demise  or  lease  the  same,  or  any  part 
thereof,  as  they  shall  think  proper,  and  by  each  of  their  said  names,  sue  and 
be  sued,  plead  and  be  impleaded,  answer  and  be  answered  unto,  in  any  court 
of  law  or  equity  in  this  State,  and  to  make  such  rules  and  by-laws  (not  repug¬ 
nant  and  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  land)  for  the  benefit  of  the  said  corpora¬ 
tions,  severally,  and  for  the  order,  rule,  good  government,  and  management 
of  each  corporation,  and  for  the  election  of  members,  and  their  maintenance, 
out  of  any  funds  belonging  to  such  respective  Societies,  for  erecting  and  repa¬ 
ration  of  Churches  by  each  corporation  out  of  any  such  funds,  and  ascertain¬ 
ing  the  rents  which  shall  be  paid  by  the  pew-liolders,  in  such  a  manner  as  shall 
be  from  time  to  time  agreed  upon  by  a  majority  of  the  members  of  each  re¬ 
spective  Society. 

Axd  be  it  further  exacted  bv  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  it  shall 
and  may  be  lawful  for  each  corporation  hereby  erected,  to  take  and  to  hold  to 
them  and  to  their  successors  forever,  any  charitable  donations  or  devises  of 
lands  and  personal  estates,  and  to  appropriate  the  same  for  the  benefit  of  each 
corporation,  in  such  manner  as  may  be  determined  by  a  majority  of  the  mem¬ 
bers  thereof,  and  to  appoint  and  choose,  displace,  remove  and  supply  minis¬ 
ters,  officers,  servants,  and  other  persons  to  be  employed  in  the  affairs  of  each 
corporation,  and  to  give  such  salaries,  perquisites  or  other  rewards  for  their 
labor  or  service  therein,  as  each  corporation  shall  from  time  to  time  approve  of 
and  think  fit. 

Axd  be  it  further  exacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  each  cor¬ 
poration  as  aforesaid,  shall  be,  and  each  of  them  is  hereby  declared  able  and 


5 


capable  in  law  to  have,  hold  and  receive,  enjoy,  possess  and  retain,  all  such 
other  estates,  real  and  personal,  money,  goods,  chattels  and  effects,  which  they 
now  possess,  or  are  entitled  unto,  or  which  have  been  already  given,  devised  or 
bequeathed,  to  either  of  them,  by  whatever  name  such  devise  or  bequest  may 
have  been  made. 

And  be  it  fubther  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  That  this  Act 
shall  be  deemed  and  taken  as  a  Public  Act,  and  notice  shall  be  taken  thereof 
in  all  Courts  of  Justice,  and  elsewhere  in  this  State,  and  shall  be  given  in  evi¬ 
dence  on  the  trial  of  any  issue  or  cause,  without  special  pleading. 

In  the  Senate  House,  the  26th  day  of  March,  1784,  and  in  the  8th 
year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

JOHN  LLOYD, 

President  of  the  Senate. 

HUGH  RUTLEDGE, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/rulesregulationsOOIuth 


RULES. 


Whereas,  at  a  General  Meeting  of  the  incorporated  Lutheran 
Church  of  German  Protestants,  held  on  the  sixth  day  of  Feb¬ 
ruary,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  eighteen,  it  was  resolved,  that  the  Rules  of  the  said 
Church,  which  had  been  adopted  and  ratified  on  the  twenty- 
sixth  day  of  September,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ten, 
should  be  altered  and  revised:  Now,  be  it  known,  that  at  a 
General  Meeting  of  the  members  of  the  said  Church,  held  on 
the  third  day  of  March,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
eighteen,  and  11th  May,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
sixty-nine,  the  following  Rules  were  duly  established,  ratified 
and  confirmed,  and  are  now  the  standing  and  governing  Rules 
of  the  said  Church. 


RULE  I . 

All  persons  at  present  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of 
German  Protestants,  may  remain  such  on  subscribing  these 
Rules,  and  paying  such  assessments  or  contributions  as  now 
are,  or  hereafter  may  be  prescribed  by  the  Yestrv  and  War¬ 
dens. 

The  Vestry  and  Wardens  are  authorized  to  declare,  by  a 
special  minute  on  their  journals,  widows  and  orphans  of  mem¬ 
bers,  as  well  as  unmarried  females  confirmed  in  the  Church, 
entitled  to  the  privileges  of  the  same,  without  contribution; 


8 


but  this  privilege  not  to  exempt  them  from  paying  the  assess¬ 
ment  upon  any  pews  they  may  hold. 

Any  male  wdiite  person,  being  of  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  and  professing  the  Christian  religion,  may  become  a 
member  by  signing  the  Rules  and  taking  a  pewT  in  the  Church, 
or,  in  the  place  of  taking  a  pew,  paying  such  contributions  as 
may  be  fixed  by  the  Vesti^  and  Wardens. 

No  person  shall  be  qualified  to  vote  on  any  question  relating 
to  the  interest  of  the  Church  for  one  year  after  he  became  a 
member,  unless  he  be  the  son  of  a  member  who  has  been  such 
for  one  year;  nor  shall  any  one  hold  an  office  before  he  has 
been  two  years  a  member,  unless  he  be  the  son  of  a  member 
who  has  been  two  years  such.  Nor  shall  any  person  be  enti¬ 
tled  to  hold  an  office,  or  vote  on  any  question,  wdio  is  known 
and  acknowledged  to  be  a  member  of  another  Church. 

Members,  holding  pews,  neglecting  to  pay  their  assessments 
within  six  months  after  the  same  shall  have  become  due,  shall 
forfeit  their  right  to  the  pews,  and  if  they  do  not  become  con¬ 
tributing  members  from  the  time  of  such  forfeiture,  the}7  shall 
lose  all  right  of  membership.  Members,  not  pew-liolders, 
neglecting  to  pay  their  contributions  within  six  months  after 
the  same  shall  have  become  due,  shall  forfeit  all  right  of  mem¬ 
bership,  unless  they  were  absent  from  the  State,  or  their  cir¬ 
cumstances  should  cause  them  to  be  objects  of  charity,  which 
shall  be  determined  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens;  but  such 
persons  as  may  be  deemed  objects  of  charity  shall  have  all  the 
privileges  of  members,  except  being  eligible  to  any  office,  or 
capable  of  voting  on  any  subject  relative  to  the  Church. 

Pew-holders,  not  members,  neglecting  to  pay  their  assess¬ 
ments  within  six  months  after  the  same  shall  have  become 
due,  shall  forfeit  the  right  to  their  pews. 

Persons  having  forfeited  their  rights  as  members,  or  having 
resigned,  may  be  readmitted  on  paying  such  arrears  as  may 
have  been  due  by  them  at  the  time  of  such  forfeiture  or  resig¬ 
nation. 


9 


RULE  II. 

There  shall  be  an  election,  by  ballot,  held  on  Easter  Mon¬ 
day,  for  a  President,  Treasurer,  Secretary,  eight  Vestrymen 
and  two  Wardens,  from  among  the  members,  to  be  conducted 
as  hereinafter  specified.  The  President  shall  be,  ex  officio,  a 
Vestryman,  and  shall  preside  at  all  meetings:  but  no  officer  in 
any  other  Church  shall  be  eligible  to  an  office  in  this. 

At  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  congregation  shall  meet  to  receive  the  result  of  the 
election  from  the  managers.  Those  having  a  plurality  of  votes 
shall  then  be  declared  duly  elected,  and  shall  serve  until  the 
next  annual  election;  and  in  the  event  of  there  not  being  a 
constitutional  number  elected,  another  election  shall  be  held 
within  a  month  thereafter,  in  order  to  complete  the  number 
required. 

Should  any  office  become  vacant  by  death,  resignation,  for¬ 
feiture,  or  removal  from  the  vicinity  of  Charleston,  an  election 
to  fill  same  shall  be  held  within  one  month  from  date  of  such 
vacancy;  said  election  to  be  conducted  as  above  provided. 

RULE  III. 

The  Vestry  and  Wardens  shall  hold  a  stated  meeting  on  the 
first  Friday  after  the  general  election,  also  within  the  first  or 
second  week  of  July  and  January  in  every  year,  to  receive  the 
Treasurer’s  report  of  monies  collected  for  pew  rents,  contribu¬ 
tions,  etc.,  and  of  monies  paid  away;  and  to  transact  such 
other  business  as  may  come  before  them,  or  be  required  of 
them  in  these  Rules.  They  shall  likewise  hold  such  extra 
meetings  as,  to  a  majority  of  their  bod}^,  may  appear  necessa¬ 
ry,  or  as  may  be  called  by  the  President.  They  shall  not  pro¬ 
ceed  to  business  unless  six  be  present,  and  all  questions  before 
them  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority  of  the  votes  of  those  pre¬ 
sent.  They  shall  have  the  charge  of,  and  power  to  manage 
2 


10 


and  regulate  the  finances  of  the  Church;  keep  the  building 
and  premises  in  proper  order  and  repair;  rent  out  such  of 
them  as  are  not  designed  for  the  public  use  of  the  Church,  or 
not  requisite  for  the  accommodation  of  either  of  the  offi¬ 
cers.  They  shall  provide  from  time  to  time  such  articles  as 
may  be  required  for  the  service  of  the  Church,  or  conducive 
to  its  interest,  and  fix  the  rates  of  pew  rents  and  other  con¬ 
tributions.  They  shall  also  have  power  and  authority,  with 
the  approbation  of  the  Congregation,  to  engage  the  Minister. 
They  shall,  at  their  first  meeting  after  the  general  election, 
elect  the  Organist  and  Sexton,  whose  term  of  service  shall  be 
until  a  similar  meeting  the  ensuing  year,  and  lay  down  what 
duties  are  to  be  performed  by  them;  and  be  vested  with  full 
power  to  discharge  either  of  them,  at  any  time,  for  any  mis¬ 
conduct  or  neglect  of  duty;  also,  exercise  such  other  powers 
as  are  vested  in  them  by  these  Rules.  They  shall  lay  before, 
and  submit  to  the  members  of  the  Church,  at  their  meeting 
on  Easter  Monday,  or  at  an  extra  meeting  that  may  be  called 
for  special  purposes,  their  proceedings,  as  well  as  other  mat¬ 
ters  of  importance  in  which  the  Church  may  be  interested. 

RULE  IV. 

The  President  shall  cause  the  Vestry  and  Wardens  to  be 
duly  summoned,  whenever  a  stated  or  extra  meeting  of  their 
Board  is  to  be  held.  He  shall  also  cause  due  notice  to  be 
given  to  the  Congregation  whenever  a  general  meeting  is  to 
be  held,  either  at  the  instance  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  or 
at  the  request  of  twenty  members  of  the  Church.  He  shall 
preside  at  all  the  meetings,  preserve  order  and  decorum,  put 
questions  to  vote,  and  declare  the  result.  He  shall  ajipoint 
all  committees,  draw  orders  on  the  Treasurer  for  the  payment 
of  monies  as  may  be  sanctioned  by  any  meeting  of  the  Vestry 
and  Wardens,  except  the  salaries  of  the  officers,  for  which  he 
may  draw  orders  on  the  Treasurer  for  payment  whenever  due; 


11 


and  he  shall  exercise  such  other  powers,  and  perform  such 
functions  as  are  allotted  to  him  in  any  part  of  these  Rules. 

Should  the  President  be  absent  from  any  meeting  of  the 
Vestry  or  Congregation,  the  members  present  shall  appoint  a 
President  pro  tern.;  and  should  his  office  become  vacant  before 
the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  the  Secretary  shall,  with¬ 
out  delay,  summon  the  Congregation,  for  the  purpose  of  elect¬ 
ing  another  President,  to  fill  the  vacancy  for  the  unexpired 
term  of  service.  Said  election  then  to  be  conducted  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  annual  election 

RULE  V. 

The  Treasurer  shall  have  charge  of  the  title  deeds,  special¬ 
ties,  and  such  sacred  vessels  appropriated  for  the  use  of  the 
Church,  as  are  not  left  with  the  Minister  or  Sexton.  At 
the  first  meeting  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens  after  each  an¬ 
nual  election,  he  shall  lay  before  them  his  annual  account 
with  the  Church.  The  Treasurer  elect  shall,  within  a  week 
after  his  election,  deliver  to  the  President  a  list  of  the  several 
articles  and  species  of  property  placed  in  his  possession  by  the 
Committee  on  Accounts,  belonging  to  the  Church,  which  list 
the  Secretary  shall  enter  in  the  journals.  He  shall,  at  every 
meeting  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  lay  before  them  a  state¬ 
ment  of  monies  received  and  paid  away  on  account  of  the 
Church,  since  the  meeting  last  held,  together  wfith  the  balance 
then  in  his  hands.  He  shall  collect  the  pew  rents,  contribu¬ 
tions,  etc. ;  the  ground  and  house  rents  due  by  the  tenants  of 
the  premises  belonging  to  the  Church;  the  interest  and  divi¬ 
dends  on  bonds,  notes,  bank  shares,  etc. — the  principal  sums 
of  bonds  and  notes,  wThich  the  Vestry  and  Wardens  may  order 
to  be  called  in.  He  shall  pay  all  demands  against  the  Church 
upon  orders  drawn  upon  him  by  the  President,  and  perform 
such  other  duties  as  are  enjoined  on  him  in  any  part  of  these 
Rules,  or  as  maybe  appertaining  to  his  office;  and,  in  compen- 


12 


sation  for  his  services,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  a  commission  of 
five  per  cent,  on  all  monies  received,  except  legacies  or  dona¬ 
tions.  Should  the  Treasurer  resign  or  die  before  the  expira¬ 
tion  of  the  term  for  which  he  was  elected,  a  new  election,  as 
provided  for  above,  shall  be  held  within  one  week  thereafter, 
to  fill  the  vacancy.  The  Treasurer  shall  give  bond,  with  suf¬ 
ficient  security,  to  be  approved  of  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens, 
for  the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties. 

RULE  VI. 

The  Secretary  shall  keep  fair  and  regular  minutes  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  and  of  those  of  the 
Congregation  at  their  stated  and  extra  meetings.  He  shall 
transcribe  the  same  in  the  journals  of  the  Church,  and  per¬ 
form  any  other  writing  that  the  Vestry  and  Wardens  may  di¬ 
rect.  He  shall  keep  a  regular  book  of  accounts  of  pew  rents 
and  contributions,  and  furnish  the  Treasurer,  by  the  first  of 
June  and  December  in  every  year,  with  a  list  of  pew  holders, 
and  of  the  sum  then  due  by  each  respectively.  He  shall  have 
charge  of  the  book  containing  the  Rules,  which,  together  with 
the  journal,  he  shall  produce  at  every  meeting  of  the  Vestry 
and  Wardens,  or  of  the  Congregation.  He  shall  likewise  pro¬ 
duce  at  the  Church,  on  the  first  Sunday  of  every  month,  after 
divine  service,  the  rule  book  for  signature.  Opposite  to  the 
name  he  shall  note  the  date  when  persons  became  members; 
when  a  member  resigned,  died,  or  was  declared  by  the  Vestry 
and  Wardens  to  have  i  forfeited  his  right  as  such.  He  shall 
also  have  in  charge,  for  safe  keeping,  all  written  communica¬ 
tions  addressed  to  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  and  perform  any 
other  duty  that  may  be  enjoined  on  him  by  these  Rules. 

RULE  VII. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Wardens  to  maintain  order  and 
tranquility  during  service.  They,  together  with  two  mem- 


13 


bers,  (to  be  appointed  for  that  purpose  by  the  President,) 
shall  hold  the  election  on  Easter  Monday  for  a  President, 
eight  Vestrymen,  two  Wardens,  a  Treasurer,  and  a  Secretary; 
open  the  poll  in  the  Church  or  Lecture  room,  at  one  o’clock, 
P.  M.,  on  that  day,  and  keep  the  same  open  two  hours,  when 
they  shall  report  the  result  of  the  election  to  the  Congrega¬ 
tion.  They  shall  attend  to  all  collections  made  at  the  Church, 
and  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  required  of  them  by 
these  Rules,  by  the  Vestry  or  Congregation. 

R  U  L  E  VIII. 

Every  holder  of  a  pew,  or  part  of  a  pew,  shall  pay,  in  the 
months  of  June  and  December,  such  rent  as  may  then  be  due; 
and  every  member,  not  a  pew-holder,  such  sum  as  the  Vestry 
an  d  AY  ardens  may  from  time  to  time  assess.  Every  person 
becoming  a  member  shall  pay  at  that  time  a  proportion  of 
pew  rent,  or  contribution,  according  to  the  time  he  has  been 
such. 

No  pew  shall  be  rented  to  more  than  two  persons,  and  if 
any  person  renting  but  the  half  of  a  pew,  and  an  application 
be  made  for  the  whole  pew,  the  holder  of  the  half  shall  have 
the  prior  right  to  keep  the  whole,  and  if  he  or  she  decline  do¬ 
ing  so,  they  shall  vacate,  and  the  whole  pew  be  given  to  the 
person  thus  applying.  This  regulation  not  to  affect  any  that 
are  holding  half  pews  on  the  adoption  of  this  Rule.  And  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  hereafter,  in  renting  half 
pews,  to  inform  the  parties  so  renting  of  this  Rule. 

In  case  of  the  death  of  a  pew-holder,  his  widow  or  children 
shall  have  a  right  to  retain  the  pew,  or  part  of  the  pew,  as  long 
as  she  or  they  continue  to  pay  the  assessment  thereon;  and 
should  a  part  of  a  pew  become  vacant,  the  other  occupant  or 
occupants  (if  members)  shall  have  a  right  to  such  vacant  part 
on  continuing  to  pay  the  rent. 

No  pew-liolder  shall  transfer  his  pew,  or  part  thereof  to  any 


14 


other  person  than  a  member,  without  the  consent  of  the  Yes- 
try  and  Wardens.  A  pew-holder  making  a  transfer  shall* 
without  delay,  notify  the  Secretary  of  the  same. 

Applications  for  pews  must  be  made  to  the  Secretary.  Every 
applicant  shall  be  accommodated  in  the  order  of  the  date  of 
his  application;  but  members,  or  the  widows  and  children  of 
members,  shall  always  have  a  prior  right  to  an  applicant  not 
a  member. 


RULE  IX. 

The  Minister  shall  perform  divine  service  in  the  English 
language,  on  every  Sunday,  and,  if  capable,  he  shall  perform 
the  same  in  the  German,  whenever  required  by  the  Vestry  and 
Wardens.  He  shall  also  officiate  in  the  morning  of  every  fast 
and  thanksgiving  da}r  that  may  be  recommended  by  the  Presi¬ 
dent  of  the  United  States,  the  Governor  of  this  State,  or  the 
Intendant  and  Wardens  of  this  City.  He  shall  administer 
the  Lord’s  Supper  on  Easter  and  Whitsunday,  Christmas  day 
or  the  Sunday  preceding,  and  at  such  other  times  as  he  may 
deem  necessary.  He  shall  instruct  in  the  principles  of  the 
Christian  religion,  such  as  may  be  put  under  his  charge,  for 
public  confirmation,  and  for  admittance  to  the  participation 
of  the  Lord’s  Supper.  He  shall  regularly  and  carefully  keep 
the  Church  register,  containing  the  baptisms,  confirmations, 
marriages  and  funerals  of  members,  their  families,  and  others 
that  may  be  baptised,  confirmed,  married  or  buried  by  him. 
He  shall  furnish  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  at  their  meetings 
in  July  and  January,  with  a  list  of  funerals  that  may  have 
taken  place  in  the  Church  during  those  periods,  and  to  have 
said  list  prepared,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  to  give 
him  one  week’s  notice  of  the  day  of  such  meeting.  He  shall 
exercise  such  other  functions  as  are  appertaining  or  incident 
to  the  duties  of  a  Clergyman.  He  shall  hold  his  office  during 
good  behavior,  and  be  considered  a  member  of  the  Church 


15 


*> 


without  contributing  to  the  same,  but  without  being  eligible 
as  a  Vestryman  or  Warden;  nor  shall  he  be  entitled  to  give 
his  opinion  or  vote,  either  at  a  meeting  of  the  Congregation  or 
of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  unless  his  opinion  on  any  subject 
be  required  by  a  majority  of  the  members  present  at  such 
meeting;  but  any  communication  he  may  make  in  writing  to 
the  Vestry  and  Wardens  shall  be  duly  attended  to.  He  shall 
always  have  free  access  to  the  Rule  book.  He  shall  receive 
from  the  funds  and  income  of  the  Church  such  salary  as  he 
may  from  time  to  time  agree  upon  with  the  Vestry  and  War¬ 
dens,  to  be  paid  quarterly. 

Should  the  office  of  Minister  become  vacant,  a  meeting  of 
the  members  of  the  Church  shall,  as  soon  as  possible  there¬ 
after,  be  called  to  deliberate  upon  the  best  and  speediest  mode 
to  till  the  vacancy.  No  one  shall  be  engaged  as  the  perma¬ 
nent  Minister  of  the  Church  unless  he  be  a  Lutheran,  and  has 
been  regularly  bred  and  called  to  the  Ministry,  according  to 
the  profession  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  of  which  he  shall  pro¬ 
cure,  if  required,  satisfactory  testimonials  to  the  Vestry  and 
Wardens;  but  in  the  event  of  there  being  no  such  one  ap¬ 
proved  of  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens  to  be  procured,  they, 
with  the  consent  of  the  Congregation,  may  engage  a  tempo¬ 
rary  Minister  of  the  Protestant  Church,  to  officiate  for  a  pe¬ 
riod  not  exceeding  six  months  at  a  time,  whose  functions  shall 
nevertheless  cease  as  soon  as  a  Lutheran  is  procured. 


RULE  X. 

The  Organist  shall  attend  in  the  morning  and  afternoon  of 
every  Sunday,  and  on  such  liolidays,  fast  or  thanksgiving  days 
when  service  is  to  be  performed  in  the  Church.  He  shall  at¬ 
tend  every  funeral  at  wffiich  he  may  be  required  to  officiate, 
and  perform  such  other  duties  appertaining  to  his  office  as 
may  be  required  of  him  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  and  not 


be  eligible  to  any  other  office.  He  shall  receive  such  salary 
as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens. 


RULE  XI. 

The  Sexton  shall,  at  all  times,  keep  the  Church  and  Church¬ 
yard  clean  and  in  proper  order.  He  shall  cause  the  bell  to  be 
rung,  and  the  Church  gates  to  be  opened  before  the  commence¬ 
ment  of  every  service.  He  shall  prepare  the  Altar  or  Commu¬ 
nion  Table  in  a  suitable  manner,  when  a  baptism  is  to  take 
place,  or  the  Lord’s  Supper  to  be  administered.  He  shall  at¬ 
tend  whenever  service  is  to  be  performed,  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  the  Wardens  in  preserving  order  and  tranquility. 
He  shall  take  care  of  such  articles  belonging  to  the  Church  as 
may  be  placed  in  his  charge.  He  shall  attend  all  funerals, 
and,  if  required,  invite  to  them  the  members  of  the  Church, 
together  with  such  families  and  persons  as  may  be  directed 
by  the  friends  of  the  deceased.  He  shall  apprize  the  Minister 
and  Organist  of  the  time  and  place,  whenever  their  services 
are  required  at  any  funeral.  He  shall  cause  the  graves  to  be 
dug,  and  of  a  legal  depth;  enter  in  a  book,  to  be  kept  by  him, 
a  list  of  {ill  funerals,  with  the  name,  age  and  sex  of  the  de¬ 
ceased;  said  book  he  shall  produce  at  every  meeting  of  the 
Vestry  and  Wardens.  He  shall  receive  the  funeral  emolu¬ 
ments,  and  pay  the  same  over  to  the  Treasurer  at  or  before 
the  next  meeting  thereafter  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens.  He 
shall  have  the  Church  opeued  in  due  time,  when  a  meeting  of 
the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  or  of  the  Congregation,  is  to  take 
place,  and  have  the  same  properly  shut  after  all  meetings. 
He  shall  cause  the  bell  to  be  rung  at  every  alarm,  and  perform 
any  other  duty  that  may  be  required  of  him  by  virtue  of  these 
Rules,  and  that  may  be  appertaining  to  his  office,  or  that  may 
be  specified  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens.  He  shall  receive 
such  salary  as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  the  Vestry  and  Ward- 


17 


ens,  and  shall  not  be  eligible  to  the  office  of  Vestryman  or 
Warden. 


RULE  XII. 

On  every  day  on  which  the  Lord’s  Supper  is  administered 
in  the  Church,  a  collection  shall  be  made  after  the  conclusion 
of  the  service,  and  the  proceeds  of  such  collection  be  received 
by  the  Committee  of  the  Alms  Fund,  and  such  amounts,  if  so 
agreed  upon  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens,  shall  be  apportioned 
among  the  indigent  members  and  their  families,  dependent 
on  the  bounty  of  the  Church. 

RULE  XIII. 

% 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens  elect,  a 
Committee  of  Accounts,  to  consist  of  three  members,  shall  be 
appointed  to  perform  such  duties  as  are  assigned  them  in 
these  Rules,  and  to  examine  all  accounts  that  may  be  referred 
to  them  by  the  Vestry  and  Wardens.  At  the  same  time  a 
Committee,  consisting  of  three  members,  shall  be  appointed, 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  attend  to  all  repairs  which  the  Ves¬ 
try  and  Wardens  may,  from  time  to  time  direct,  as  well  as 
such  as  might  require  immediate  attention,  and  a  Committee 
of  three  members,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  take  in  charge  all 
collections  made  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor,  subject  to  the  in¬ 
structions  of  the  Vestry  and  Wardens. 

RULE  XIV. 

In  cases  of  funerals  no  charge  shall  be  made  for  members  or 
their  families,  but  for  strangers,  if  permission  has  been  ob¬ 
tained  from  the  President  for  interment  in  the  Church-yard, 
the  Sexton  shall  demand  in  advance  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars. 

By  the  words  “families  of  members”  are  to  be  considered, 

3 


18 


first;  all  minors  residing  with  and  dependent  upon  a  member 
for  support;  second;  all  unmarried  females,  or  widows  who 
have  no  exclusive  property  of  their  own,  and  are  dependent 
upon  said  member  for  a  support. 

No  funeral  shall  take  place  unless  the  Minister  of  the  Church 
be  invited  to  attend,  and  no  permission  shall  be  given  for  the 
interment  of  persons  of  color  in  the  Church-yard. 

RULE  XV. 

\ 

The  foregoing  Rules  may  be  altered,  or  any  new  one  adopt¬ 
ed,  provided  that  each  alteration  or  addition  be  considered  at 
one  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Church,  and  then  submit¬ 
ted  to  a  committee  of  nine,  who  shall  report  at  a  stipulated 
period  on  the  propriety  of  such  alteration  or  addition,  when  a 
general  meeting  of  the  members  shall  be  called;  notice  of  said 
meeting  to  be  published  from  the  pulpit  for  two  Sabbaths  pre¬ 
vious.  On  the  question  to  concur  in  any  alteration,  or  in  the 
establishment  of  any  new  Rule,  at  least  twenty-five  members 
shall  be  present,  and  not  less  than  two-thirds  of  those  present 
must  give  their  assent  to  such  alteration  or  addition.  And  at 
all  other  meetings,  fifteen  members  shall  be  present  to  form  a 
quorum  to  transact  business.  But  no  alteration  or  additional 
Rule  shall  ever  be  made,  by  virtue  whereof  the  Church  might 
become  any  other  than  a  Lutheran. 

RULE  XVI. 

For  the  just  and  true  performance  of  all  and  every  part  of 
this  Constitution  and  of  all  the  Rules,  Articles,  Regulations  and 
Agreements  formed  in  pursuance  thereof,  the  members  form¬ 
ing  this  Congregation  bind  themselves,  and  each  and  every  of 
them  respectively,  by  these  presents,  to  observe,  support  and 
comply  with  the  same.  And  the  former  original  and  by-rules 
are  hereby  declared  to  be  altered  and  amended,  as  herein  set 


19 


forth;  but  nothing  herein  contained  shall  extend,  or  be  con¬ 
strued  to  extend,  to  impair  the  right  of  the  Church  to  any 
claim  or  demand  that  may  be  due  thereto,  under  and  by  vir¬ 
tue  of  the  former  Buies  and  Regulations;  all  which  claims  and 
demands  shall  be  as  valid  as  though  the  said  Rules  and  Regu¬ 
lations  were  still  in  force.  And  the  members  also  agree  that 
any  Rules  hereafter  to  be  made  conformably  to  this  Constitu¬ 
tion,  shall  be  taken  and  regarded  by  them,  and  every  one  of 
them,  to  be  of  equal  force  and  as  binding  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  as  these  Rules. 


t$E,-  H.Y. 


pfcT.  JAN  2>,  '<»OS 


